@39.82295,-121.09888
Said farewell to Sara and Flaming- she will hitch out on the Quincy-LaPorte highway where we are camped rather than risk a total breakdown further on with no plausible exit. A shame as she is a nice kid. I have had to bail on a hike due to injury and know just how devastating it is.
Passed the Sad Asian Guy once again, probably for the last time. He speaks no English (or so it appears) and won’t look up or interact in any way when you pass by and hail him. When he saw me coming he pulled off the trail to let me pass but resolutely turned his back to avoid all interaction. Apparently he camped in the churchyard at Sierra City for two weeks, and slept out in the road – cars had to drive around him – rather than mix with the other campers in the yard.
I’ve developed two theories about him 1) he is a Japanese drug dealer who dipped too heavily into his own stash, couldn’t pay his debt and is now hiding from the Yakuza, whose assassins are known to be the most deadly in the world. But they are not such great hikers, thus he is safe out on the trail. 2) He is a Chinese spy who speaks perfect English but pretends not to. He is here to eavesdrop on hikers and steal PCT technology and illegally export it back to China, where they will build a trail with even more mountains, dust and bugs thus beating America at its own game once again.
I made quick work of the 15 miles down to the Middle Fork of the Feather River, which has no road and so is that rarity, a big river in the wilderness.
The steel suspension foot bridge was a good 50 feet above the water but only 10 feet above the high water mark.
No high water today. Instead there was a gorgeous swimming hole, 20 feet wide, 50 feet long and 15 feet deep, filled with clear cool aquamarine water.
I emptied my pockets and jumped right in fully clothed, hoping to rinse out the grime and dust and sweat. The water was a perfect temperature, cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough for a 15 minute swim and float.
A nap was called for and accomplished and I found a few other ways to waste time, letting the sun drop a bit before saddling up again.
It was a 3500 foot drop down to the river and just as far back up again to the ridge. I enjoyed a few last moments of being clean and refreshed before accepting my fate and starting another long hot dusty sweaty climb.
There is always another climb.
Tried to get an action photo of diving into the river using my camera’s self-timer. But I suffered from premature immersion syndrome and always jumped too soon. This splash is the best I could do. 
Tonight’s dinner: mashed sweet potato and carrot with tomato and chicken